Priority Paper Piling: A Time Management Tip for Busy Professionals

Do you regularly sit down at your desk with the goal of completing some important task for work or school, only to find yourself completely overwhelmed by the papers strewn about your desk?

You don’t know what half of them are for, and you don’t want to know, but every single time they manage to drag your attention away from the thing you sat down to do. Just the sight of them in front of you immediately makes you feel stressed. Where do you begin?

Whether your workspace is a kitchen table, a desk, or a chair at the nearest Starbucks, consider it a mirror into your mind. Having a cluttered, distracted mind is not going to help you do your best work. The same goes for your workspace.

I’m not saying you have to turn into the organizer bunny overnight (the Energizer Bunny’s second cousin!). It’s an acquired skill that takes plenty of practice. However, if you are serious about getting things done, a clean and uncluttered workspace is a great first step.

Time management expert Mark Woods of Attack Your Day! Before it Attacks You has formulated a few simple steps that can help you take your desk from cluttered to controlled. All you need is an hour of your time to dedicate to a little priority paper piling. Once you’re finished, those countless hours that were lost trying to study or work while distracted by the clutter will hopefully be a thing of the past.

Check out the video below for more information about this time management tip that could be the difference between getting things done or being controlled by overpowering piles of paper!